How to Scout an Opponent in Boxing

Since match-ups are often decided on the day of a bout, amateur boxers rarely have a chance to scout future opponents. If the opportunity does present itself, though, take full advantage of it. Study your future opponent’s game, analyse his style, and devise a strategy. The rest of this guide highlights six important details to note as you watch a future opponent compete in the ring.

The Six Steps to Scouting

Generally speaking, there are six aspects to scouting:

1. Identifying your opponents fighting style
2. Identifying your opponents strengths.
3. Identifying your opponents weaknesses.
4. Study previous fights of your opponents bouts and Identifying what works well and what does not work well against them from their previous opponents.
5. Deciding how your personal strengths/weaknesses match up.
6. Formulate a strategy.

You need to recognize both you and your opponents strengths and weaknesses in order to properly formulate a game plan. The following five steps should help you accomplish this task.

1. Identifying Your Opponents Fighting Style

Styles vary from boxer to boxer, and experienced fighters usually adopt aspects from several different fighting styles. However, it’s possible to get a feel for how a boxer prefers to fight, which will help you make a general conclusion about his style. Rarely will a boxer take an overly-aggressive swarming approach for one bout, and then completely transform into a dominant counter-puncher in the follow match. That being said, you should be ready for anything and realize that a single bout won’t expose everything.

Here’s a list of possible styles:

• Out-fighter
• Boxer-Puncher
• Brawler/Slugger
• In-fighter
• Bob-and-Weave Fighter
• Puncher
• Counterpuncher
• Southpaw

2. Identifying Your Opponents Strengths And Weaknesses

You need to read and study ” Chapter- Scout & Test Your Opponent” on the following subjects:

• Read their Universal Signs: These are based on physiology. For instance, the hips have to rotate a certain way to throw a certain punch.
• Read their Idiosyncratic (Personality Driven) Signs: These are unique to your opponent. They are habits they have developed over time which have either gone unnoticed or unchecked.
• More Tips To Read Your Opponent

3. Study Previous Fights of Your Opponents Bouts & Strategize without Over-thinking

Videotapes allow you to dive even deeper into your analysis. You can rewind parts of the bout that you find particularly interesting, and truly study your future opponent. However, never lose sight of your own training and capabilities by worrying too much about your competitor. Amateur bouts are relatively short. When in doubt, keep your hands up and throw punches.

4. Deciding how your personal strengths/weaknesses match up.

The first step in scouting takes place way before you even see your opponent for the first time. Throughout training, you should identify your own strengths and weaknesses by talking to your trainer and experimenting with different approaches while sparring.

Everyone has personal strengths and weaknesses. For the most part, your fighting style develops not from a preference to be an out-fighter or brawler, but rather from your own personal capabilities. Always work on your weaknesses, but realize that you’ll need to utilize your strengths in order to be successful in the ring. Take your strengths and weaknesses into account as you watch your opponent to match up yourself against them and formulate a strategy.

5. Formulate a strategy.

Take your opponents Fighting Style, their Strengths & Weaknesses, your analysis of your Opponents Previous Fights and Your Strengths & Weaknesses into account to adjust your Fighting Style and formulate a strategy.